And So We Meet Again
by Pixxie
Summary: The real reason Duke has stayed in Haven so long. Rated M for future chapters. Duke/OC, potentially Nathan/Audrey
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Author's note: This story was started around the end of season 1/beginning of season 2 and due to the nature of the show will likely be AU very soon. Feedback is always appreciated!

xxxx

She awoke with a start, her thoughts still cloudy from sleep. The first thing she noticed was that the soft warmth of her queen-sized mattress had been replaced with something cold, hard, and gritty. The second thing she noticed was the rain which was gently falling, soaking through her silken pajamas and matting her brunette hair to the side of her face. The third and fourth things she noticed together: the squealing of tires on pavement and the headlights illuminating her in a pool of light.

xxxx

Across town he too awoke abruptly. It took a moment for his mind to process that he was in his own bed, on his boat, and that all was well. He leaned back against the headboard gasping for breath, eyes shut tight and fists unconsciously clenching handfuls of his sheets. After a few minutes of measured breathing he arose and slipped into a pair of worn out jeans.

"_How long had it been?"_ Duke wondered, trying to count back as he made his way to the deck. Days? Weeks? He was startled when the answer came to him as he leaned into the cool late night breeze. _"Two months. Two whole months since the last nightmare. Which means it's been a year now. A year since…" _ He wouldn't let himself think further than that. He needed distraction, and fast. He stood on the deck a few moments longer letting the cool rain rinse away the residual perspiration from his nightmare and then leapt to the dock and set off on foot determined to find something to occupy his time until he could open the Grey Gull.

xxxx

Two Weeks Later

Nathan Wournos leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on his desk as he sorted through the file resting haphazardly against his legs. He sighed, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a long moment he reopened his eyes and started flipping through the file once more.

"You're not going to find anything," his partner admonished. "We've been over it all a million times already. We haven't missed anything. I'm sorry, Nathan, but I think we're just going to have to wait until the next incident and hope we get something more to go on."

Nathan glared back at Audrey. "So what? We just sit around twiddling our thumbs and waiting for this girl to pop up in the middle of some random road? Someone could get killed next time. It could be me. Or you. So until we've got something better to do, or another lead, I'm going to keep going through this file." With that he resumed his shuffling.

He had to admit, if only to himself, that Audrey had a point. They really didn't have much to go on. A sketch which all the witnesses agreed was an accurate depiction of the young lady who had been appearing mysteriously and abruptly in the middle of Haven's roads with seemingly no rhyme or reason. A description of a couple of different outfits she'd been seen in. None of which helped since no one thus far had recognized the girl and she never stuck around long enough for anyone to ask any questions. Nathan wondered, not for the first time, why she always ran off on foot afterwards. _"Surely if she can pop up in the middle of the road somewhere she could just as easily pop off to somewhere else," _he mused.

Audrey Parker watched her partner from across the office. While she understood his desire to solve this mystery she was afraid that he was going to burn himself out by obsessing. She needed him to be prepared when the next big crisis hit. While this mystery girl was a fascination, and certainly a potential threat to the motorists of Haven, Audrey knew that there was likely to be a more pressing disaster at any given moment. Since logic was getting her nowhere she opted next for distraction.

"Come on Nathan. You've been staring at that file for hours. Why don't we take a break? Go get a drink or two, relax for awhile, and come at it fresh in the morning. A little R&R might be just what our minds need to sort through this puzzle," Audrey suggested.

At first she thought he was going to ignore her as he sat in silence for another minute, eyes glued to the file before him. When she heard his resigned sigh she knew she had won. He flipped the file shut while simultaneously swinging his legs to the floor.

"Well, let's go then. You got any place in particular in mind?" he groused as locked up.

"Why don't we head over to the Grey Gull?" she replied casually.

"I should've known," he muttered, grimacing. If there was one thing he didn't want after a long and frustrating day it was to deal with Duke Crocker. Though there was never any guarantee Duke would be there. Realistically the odds were just as good that they'd run into him anywhere else in the small town if they went elsewhere so he supposed the Gull was as good a spot as any. But two weeks of no progress on this case was irritating him and he was in no mood to be agreeable. _"Am I a bad cop for hoping that he's out smuggling something tonight?" _Nathan pondered.

Audrey looked on from her position in the hallway as Nathan finished securing the office. He shook his head in resignation and sighed again, she assumed for dramatic effect. She would never understand why Nathan wouldn't just admit that he liked Duke. Sure, they fought constantly, but it was always in a competitive fashion that seemed almost brotherly. She had spent more time than she cared to admit pondering that very subject when more serious mysteries failed to present and she needed to occupy her mind with something other than Lucy and the Troubles.

"_Hmm…"_ she mused, "_Lucy and the Troubles would make an awesome band name."_ Audrey had a brief vision of herself on stage surrounded by some of the more unique citizens of Haven she'd encountered as a backup band. She shook her head to clear the image. _"Wow, I guess Nathan's not the only one that needs a break tonight…"_

It was moments like this that Nathan found himself wondering what really went on inside his partner's mind. She had that faraway expression on her face for a moment and then he watched as she literally shook herself out of it. She smirked as their eyes met, letting him know that whatever it was she had been thinking about a moment before was going to remain her secret. He raised an eyebrow then jerked his head toward the exit and she followed him to the door in silence, the smirk widening into a grin at having been caught in her daydream.

xxxx

"I don't give a damn," Duke snarled through gritted teeth. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again." He stalked off toward the back, leaving the new waitress staring after him in disbelief.

"Don't mind him," he heard the bartender mutter as he strode away, "he's been in a helluva mood the last couple weeks. Usually a pretty easy-going guy but he can be a real piece of work when he's bent out of shape over something. Just steer clear of him 'til it blows over."

The young blonde replied shakily, "And how exactly am I supposed to tell…"

"…_when it's blown over?"_ Duke mentally filled in the remainder of her query as he shut the door to the supply room effectively cutting himself off from the rest of the conversation. _"Good question," _he thought with a sigh. _"Hope someone has an answer. And soon."_

He leaned wearily back against a wooden crate with his left hand gripping the edge for balance while his right ran a course over his face and through his hair before coming to rest on the back of his neck. He allowed his eyes to shut for a long moment and felt the burn of sleep deprivation. He knew he'd been overly harsh with the new girl, it was only her second day after all, but he hadn't slept well in two weeks and the exhaustion combined with the images playing in his mind from his continued nightmares resulted in a very short temper.

Duke reached into his pocket and fingered the bottle stashed there. He normally hated pills of any kind, much less sleeping pills since remaining alert was important in his line of business, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He just hoped the pills worked better than his attempt at drinking himself to sleep. Nightmares were bad enough. Waking up from a nightmare only to find yourself passed out on your own floor and your back so stiff you can hardly get up? He shuddered in remembrance.

"_Wonder if anyone would notice if I just headed out the back?" _he wondered briefly as he pushed himself away from the crate. He eyed the back door briefly then turned resolutely back toward the bar. As much as he wanted to make a quick escape back to his boat to get some rest he knew he needed to go apologize. He didn't want to deal with looking for another new waitress right now.

xxxx

Nathan and Audrey had just seated themselves at a small table near the bar and were waiting patiently for their drinks when Duke came in from the back.

"He looks like hell," Audrey observed.

Nathan scowled in response. "Duke always looks like hell," he replied.

Audrey cocked an eyebrow and met his gaze, silently chastising him. He looked away first, too much a gentleman to argue. _"Besides. Duke isn't worth it," _he thought. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm just not in the mood to deal with him right now. It's been a long day."

Her look changed almost immediately from one of reproach to one of worry. "You're working too hard, Nathan. You're going to overdo it." Her voice was soft, the words of concern rolling over him.

"It's not exactly avoidable right now," he countered. "Believe me, I love a good vacation as much as the next guy, but Haven isn't exactly the kind of town where the Chief of Police can take a break."

"I know, but…" she trailed off as the young waitress Duke had been talking to burst into tears and ran out the door. They watched as Duke threw up his hands in exasperation then stormed off in the opposite direction. "That was weird," she said, having completely lost her train of thought.

"Duke's always been a jerk," Nathan replied, "nothing new about that."

"To something pretty, young, and blonde?"

"Okay, so it was weird. I'm still not overly concerned," he responded dryly.

"You should be," Audrey intoned darkly, her face growing serious. Nathan leaned forward in his chair minutely, concern at her sudden change in demeanor evident on his own face.

"Why's that?" he replied in a low voice. _"What did she see that I missed?"_

Audrey leaned in closer herself. "Because," she said dramatically, "now you have to walk up there and get our drinks."

xxxx

Sometime later after their second round had been finished Nathan and Audrey decided to call it a night. They parted ways at the foot of the staircase leading up into her apartment. She gave his hand a small squeeze in parting, which set his dormant nerve endings on fire and caused his breath to hitch a little in his throat. He hoped she hadn't noticed. While she claimed she didn't feel at all weird about it Nathan certainly did. He hated that his inability to feel the majority of the time resulted in such noticeable reactions on the occasions when she touched him.

Nathan was still pondering Audrey's touch, and wondering what he could do to control his reactions better, when he climbed into his Bronco and buckled his seatbelt. He rolled the front windows down to allow the cool breeze to enter the cab. He couldn't feel the breeze, of course, but it carried with it all the scents of a Maine night in Haven. He started toward home, listing the familiar scents as a way to distract himself along the way. _"Pine. Wood. Smoke from a bonfire. Someone grilled some chicken. The ocean…"_

When he couldn't think of anything else to add to his list it occurred to him for the first time how tired he really was. Since he'd lost the ability to feel again his other senses had become increasingly important and he spent a great deal of time contemplating scents. He'd become quite adept at it, and could identify and separate a great many on any typical night. _"Guess it's a good thing I'm almost home,"_ he thought. _"I probably shouldn't be driving."_

Maybe it was the exhaustion from a long day's work followed by spending too much time at the Gull. Maybe it was the drinks he'd had earlier in the evening. Or maybe it was just inevitable. One moment Nathan was debating whether to shower or head straight to bed when he got home, the next he was slamming on his brakes, throwing the truck into park, unbuckling his seatbelt and throwing open the door. He ran to the front of the truck and knelt down to listen for the sound of breathing, cursing his inability to feel a pulse.

Once satisfied the person was breathing steadily he pulled back to assess the severity of the injuries, cell phone already in hand and poised to dial 911. His eyes went first to her face and he hesitated. He knew that face. _"Guess Parker was right," _ he thought, _"we just had to wait for the next incident."_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 2

She awoke slowly, painfully. Her head throbbed in agony and her entire body ached. As she gradually came to she became increasingly aware of her surroundings. The cool outdoor breeze, the all too familiar sensation of cold pavement beneath her. The hum of a motor. _"So that's what it feels like to be hit by a truck," _she mused. Then she realized there were vice-like hands gripping her upper arms.

"Can you hear me?" a low, male voice queried from above her. "That's it, wake up."

The young woman moaned in response and opened her eyes groggily. Almost immediately she closed them again. The bright light from the truck's headlights was just too much. Her second attempt was both more cautious and more successful. She blinked a few times, wincing with pain, and then turned her face minutely toward the source of the voice. When his face came into focus she gasped in shock.

Nathan mistook the gasp for one of pain. "Where does it hurt?" he asked urgently.

"Everywhere," she replied with a shaky laugh. "Could you help me sit up?"

"You should probably try to hold still. I was just about to call an ambulance, you might be bleeding internally."

"No, that's not necessary," was the immediate response. "I'm a little bruised up is all, I'll be fine."

"You lost consciousness—"

"Really, I'm fine," she interrupted, "and I'm going to sit up with or without your help."

Nathan sighed and helped her into a sitting position. He held her steady for a moment to make sure she had her balance and then moved back a couple of feet so he could get a better look at her.

The woman was young, brunette, mid-twenties, with a slim build. Her hair was loose and fell just below her shoulders. She was wearing what appeared to be a men's blue flannel work shirt coupled with a worn pair of jeans and some hiking boots. The same outfit described by the last witness. When she turned to face him he finally got a good look at her eyes and realized they were a soft green. Funny how none of the witnesses had ever mentioned her eye color. _"But then again I guess she usually takes off before anyone can get close enough to notice," _he realized. Nathan winced. _"On the bright side at least I know she won't run off before I can question her."_

"You really need to go to the hospital to get checked out," he told her. "If you won't let me call an ambulance at least let me give you a ride."

"I appreciate it, but I have this rule about hospitals. I don't go to them," she replied.

"Well, I have some rules too. One of them just happens to be that anyone I run over gets medical attention. Immediately."

"Really? You have a rule for this? Do you often run over people?" she quipped with a slight smirk. "Maybe you should rethink your rules. Why not just add one about not running over people in the first place?"

"Oh, I have that rule already," Nathan replied. "But when someone materializes out of thin air in the middle of the road…" he trailed off as the girl winced. "Well, let's just say that sometimes rules get broken and I have to improvise."

The woman brightened visibly. "Exactly! So I don't have to go to the hospital!"

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant!" he attempted to clarify. "The going to the hospital thing stands!"

She laughed in response, and a teasing glint appeared in her eyes. "I guess next time you'll choose your words more carefully then, won't you Chief?"

Nathan glared in indignation. "Nice to know you still have a sense of humor, I suppose." he retorted. "Like it or not, rules or not, you need to be examined to make sure everything is okay. I also have some questions I need to ask."

The smile faded and she let out a resigned sigh. She had to admit that he was right, it would be foolhardy to forgo a medical exam after being hit by a truck and she had known the questions would come sooner or later. She had hoped to have more time to prepare, but maybe it would be better to just get it over with. And maybe, just maybe, he could help her find some answers she was seeking as well.

xxxx

Several hours and numerous tests later the hospital finally declared that the young woman was free to go. She had numerous scrapes and bruises and a mild concussion but nothing life-threatening. They released her with strict instructions not to operate any heavy machinery and to make sure someone was available to monitor her due to the head injury.

She exited the exam room and was escorted back to the main waiting area. She assumed Nathan had given the staff explicit instructions to ensure she didn't slip away before he had an opportunity to complete his questioning. Her suspicions were confirmed when they reached the waiting room.

This time it was Nathan who had lost consciousness, though he had gone about it in a much more typical fashion. He was slumped down in his seat with his head tilted back at what looked like a rather uncomfortable angle. His mouth was parted slightly and as she approached the woman heard the faint sound of snoring. She winced a little, thinking, _"That can't be comfortable."_

"Uh…Chief?" she spoke softly, not wanting to startle him. When he didn't stir she tried again, raising her voice slightly, "Chief? Nathan?"

His head snapped forward, upper body straightened, and eyes came open all in one fluid motion. It took a moment for his surroundings to register and for his eyes to focus on the brunette in front of him. She had changed from the hospital gown he'd seen her in last and was back in the flannel shirt and jeans. Which meant…"You've been released?" he asked.

"Yup."

"I guess we should get going then," he stated, rising to his feet as he spoke.

She let out a resigned sigh and followed him toward the wide double doors at the front of the hospital and then out into the early morning air. The over-sized boots on her feet thumped a steady rhythm on the paved parking lot as they strode back toward the Bronco. She allowed Nathan to open the passenger door then climbed inside and buckled her seatbelt.

Nathan strode around to the driver's side and let himself in. He, too, buckled up and then he slid the key into the ignition and started the truck. He turned the headlights on and his hands gripped the wheel but instead of putting the truck into gear he just sat for a moment. His peripheral vision caught a flicker of movement and he realized the woman had shifted slightly and was looking at him. Or, more accurately, examining him.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" she asked. "You've had a pretty long night…should we just call a cab?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "I got a decent nap in the waiting room and the station's not far."

She grimaced. "That position looked anything but restful."

"It was fine," he said, a small smile flickering on his face as the young woman eyed him doubtfully. "Really, like sleeping on air."

She snorted in reply. "Right, air. And to think of all those people spending their money on memory foam and stuff when a good night's rest could be just a cheap chair away!"

"Have you ever considered a career in marketing?" Nathan deadpanned. She glared back at him. "No, really? I mean, you totally sold that!"

"Can we go already?" she huffed. It was getting later (or earlier, depending on perspective) by the minute and she was tired and sore. She wasn't looking forward to the questions that she knew were coming but she desperately needed to get some rest.

Nathan eyed the girl closely. He knew she had to be hurting after her earlier encounter with his truck and while he was tired himself she looked as though she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in ages. As a police officer he knew how important it was to wrap up an investigation as quickly as possible. As a Haven police chief he knew the importance of determining the severity of threat from a Troubled person, and if need be isolating that threat, as quickly as possible. But Nathan wasn't without compassion, and he knew she was in desperate need of rest.

"You really need to get some sleep," he responded. "If I take you home to get some rest do I have your word that you'll come in for questioning tomorrow?" It went against his better judgment, but Nathan figured that if he brought her home at least he'd know where she lived so that he could come get her if necessary. The woman hesitated, causing Nathan to frown and rethink his decision.

She saw his change in expression and cringed slightly. "It's not that I wouldn't come in tomorrow," she said hurriedly. She didn't want him to get the wrong impression. "It's just…you can't take me home," she finished.

"Well, I can't exactly let you leave on foot," he replied, "and regardless of how you get there I am going to need your address."

"That wouldn't do you any good."

"Why not?"

"Because my current residence is down in Portland," she responded quietly.

"Oh. Well, where are you staying while you're in town then?" Nathan asked.

She paused and drew a deep breath. "I'm not exactly staying anywhere," she told him, without making eye contact. Instead she looked down at her lap where her hands were playing with the edge of the flannel shirt.

Nathan had expected to hear that she was staying with a relative, or perhaps at one of the local bed and breakfasts. He was startled by her quiet admission and wasn't quite sure how to respond. _"How does a girl from Portland wind up in a place like Haven with no place to stay?" _he wondered.

"Oh," he said after a long moment. And before he had time to think it through the words slipped out, "I have a couch."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 3

Duke rolled out of his bed, planted his bare feet on the floor, attempted to stand, and fell flat on his face. He moaned, rolled to his side and tucked his knees up against his chest in a momentary fetal position before rocking over onto all fours and crawling as quickly as he could toward the bathroom.

Either by sheer luck or divine intervention he made it to the toilet just in time to empty the contents of his stomach. For the next hour or so he alternated between heaving and laying on the floor whimpering. Every time he tried to get up the overwhelming dizziness returned along with the nausea. Finally he gave up trying and just stayed on the tiled floor curled into a ball. His forehead, now dampened with a thin sheen of sweat, rested against the side of the toilet. The coolness of the tile and the toilet felt good against his feverish skin and the nausea abated somewhat.

"I knew there was a reason I don't do pills," he mumbled to his empty cabin. A few minutes later he passed out.

xxxx

Sometime later he awoke for a second time. He was thankful to find the room had stopped spinning at last. He began the slow and somewhat painful task of climbing to his feet, using the toilet bowl for leverage. Once up he braced himself against the sink and took a long look in the mirror.

His own face stared back at him wearily. His eyes were red and his face was in desperate need of a shave. His hair was still matted to one side of his face from his prolonged stay on the bathroom floor. With a sigh he stripped out of his navy blue briefs and climbed into the shower.

One long, hot shower, a shave, and a tooth-brushing later Duke felt like a new man. He returned to his cabin where he pulled on a pair of cargo khaki pants, a snug white t-shirt, and a white work-shirt which he buttoned midway. Once dressed he made his way slowly to the galley intent on getting something solid in his stomach.

He sat down at his table intent on eating the scrambled eggs and toast before him while reading a section of yesterday's newspaper only to find his mind drifting to the events of the night before. After he'd read the same paragraph at least five times and still had no idea what it said he finally gave up and threw the paper down on the bench beside him. He slouched in his seat, head leaned back and eyes clenched shut. His right hand still held his fork which in turn rested against his plate, food temporarily forgotten.

_flashback_

Duke exited the storage room and scanned the bar looking for his waitress. He glimpsed Nathan and Audrey at a small table near the door and thought he might join them after he'd spoken with Andrea. _"Who knows, maybe some friendly conversation will help me relax a little." _And relaxation could lead to sleep.

He caught sight of the waitress on her way back to the bar, presumably on her way to fill an order for one of the bar's many patrons. He had to admit, he was proud of how well the business was doing under his ownership. It had been a long time since he'd given any serious consideration to running a legitimate business. Sure, at one time he'd had big dreams. Just like any other kid. But he'd long ago accepted his reality so it had surprised him when this opportunity fell into his lap. He had thought that it was too late for him to change, too late to return to what he once was and to explore what he might have become. Working at the Gull and building genuine friendships with Nathan and Audrey were gradually changing Duke in ways that even he himself wasn't always conscious of.

Since the place was crowded and Andrea was still a bit overwhelmed and therefore distracted by her new role she didn't see Duke approaching. She jumped a bit and gasped when he tapped her left forearm which had been resting on the bar. A glass of water nearly tipped but he was able to catch it in time to prevent a spill.

"Sorry," she mumbled while chewing nervously on her bottom lip. She was afraid that she might set her new boss off again and she desperately needed the job. Small towns like Haven don't have many job openings, and working at a popular bar and grill like the Grey Gull meant good money.

"No big deal," Duke replied with forced calm evident in his voice. "Accidents happen."

He paused, searching for the right words to continue. He read the tension in Andrea's face. Any new job would be stressful, but he knew from his own experience at the Gull that it could be tough work. It would take some time for her to settle in, and in retrospect he regretted starting her over a weekend.

"Why don't you head home for the weekend?" he suggested, fully intending to follow up his offer with a request for her to come back Monday around the lunch hour when things would be a bit quieter so she could get her feet wet. Before he could finish his query the young blonde burst into tears and ran for the door.

Duke threw up his own hands and ran them back through his hair, lacing his fingers together when they met at the back of his head and bringing his elbows together in front of his face. He gritted his teeth and an exasperated hiss of air escaped between his lips. For a split second he considered going after her a second time but realized almost immediately that he would most likely just make the situation worse. He resolved to call her the next day to see if she still wanted the job.

He saw Nathan and Audrey looking his way out of his peripheral vision and made a snap decision to head out the back. As much as he could have used some time to decompress with his friends he knew that if he tried to join them they would just make matters worse. Audrey would be overly concerned and want to help whereas Duke just wanted to forget the whole situation for the rest of the night. And Nathan, well, Nathan would go all Boy Scout on him and accuse him of who knows what.

Duke made his way to the store room once more, ignoring the sidelong glance from the bartender as he passed. He passed through the room and out the exit, taking care to make sure the door locked behind him.

A cool breeze accompanied by the scent of the sea helped him to relax as he began his trek to his boat. There was something positively euphoric about the combination and it was one Duke knew he would never tire of. As he walked he felt some of the tension melt away, and though he was thankful to relax a bit it only served to exacerbate his exhaustion.

He reached his boat and went aboard. He took a moment to lean against the railing, inhaling a last lungful of the brisk night air before heading inside. He paused long enough to grab a glass of water and made his way to his cabin.

Duke made his way to the nightstand without bothering to turn on the light and set his water down so he could undress. He slipped his shirts over his head and took care to remove the pill bottle from the pocket of his pants before letting them drop to the floor as well. He sat down on the edge of the bed and eyed the bottle in his hand. After a long moment of hesitation he opened the bottle and dumped a couple of pills into his hand, then twisted the cap firmly back into place and set the bottle down on the nightstand. He downed the pills with a long swig from his glass and then swung his legs onto the bed. His head hit his pillow and he clenched his eyes shut. He hoped silently for a long, uninterrupted night's sleep.

_end flashback_

In retrospect Duke realized that taking the pills on an empty stomach probably hadn't been the best idea. His mind was a bit muddled from the exhaustion and he'd forgotten that he'd skipped dinner in the interest of keeping an eye on his newest waitress. Pills of any kind tended to nauseate him and the results were always worse if he didn't eat.

He pulled himself out of his silent reverie and looked down at his plate of half-eaten food. His fork was still perched in the same position, a piece of pierced egg hung from its tines. With a sigh he scooped them up and went to dispose of the scraps. He figured he'd ingested enough to quell his nausea and some fresh air and coffee would take care of the rest.

Duke returned to his cabin and pulled on a pair of socks along with some well-worn boots and stopped to grab his billfold from the pair of pants he'd discarded the night before. He threw the pants along with the rest of yesterday's clothing into his hamper. He turned to leave and noticed the pill bottle resting on its side on the floor in front of his nightstand. _"I must have knocked it off when I fell this morning." _He grabbed it with a slight growl and stuffed it back into his pocket.

xxxx

An hour later Duke could be found sitting near the shoreline watching the water lap the rocky beach. He had stopped for coffee in town and disposed of the pill bottle in a random dumpster along the way after flushing the pills down the shop's toilet. It may have been excessive, but he never knew when Nathan or Audrey might happen by the boat and didn't particularly want either of them to see a prescription drug bottle. He didn't really think either of them would dig through his trash but given Nathan's outspoken dislike for him Duke thought it was better to be safe than sorry.

As he sipped his coffee his mind drifted once more to the events of the previous night. This time, however, his thoughts focused not on the events that had actually occurred but rather on the events which took place inside the dream which the pills had failed to prevent.

_flashback/dream_

_Duke stood in the Grey Gull along with Nathan and Audrey. The rest of the bar and grill was deserted and eerily quiet. He listened as Nathan explained that Duke needed to join them and he understood that Audrey might need his help because Nathan might die. He felt like he was forgetting something important._

"_I can't go with you," he tried to tell them. "I need to do something…"_

"_You need to help us," Nathan replied._

"_He's right," Audrey implored. "We need you. Haven needs you. Please help us."_

"_But…"_

"_You have to choose, Duke," Nathan told him. "You have to choose now, we need your help. Audrey might need your help. You're the only one here, Duke. The only one who can help."_

_Duke allowed Nathan and Audrey to escort him to the door. They opened the door and stepped through, but instead of stepping onto the deck they appeared on the lawn of the Smith residence. The place appears deserted but he knows that TJ is inside with his son. He knows that the final plague, death of the firstborn son, is about to start. The plagues have been getting bigger and he's afraid that this one will hit all of Haven._

_He was hit once more with the feeling that he shouldn't be there, but he looked at Nathan and saw the fear on the other man's face. He stood rooted in place, just waiting. He tried to remember what he was supposed to do but couldn't. _

_Audrey strode forward and entered the house alone. Duke wasn't quite sure why. No one else was around, just the three of them, TJ, and his son. Somehow he knew Audrey had to go in alone so he made no move to follow. He and Nathan stood side by side and watched her go in silence._

_A moment later Nathan collapsed to the ground in apparent agony. Duke knelt with him and took his hand. A feeling of helplessness overcame him and he sat hard on the ground, watching as one of his few true friends writhed on the grass beside him. _

_A lifetime of regret washed over Duke. He thought back to all the terrible things he'd done to Nathan as a child, and the hell he'd given him as an adult. He wished he could start over. He knew he could've had a great friend in Nathan if only things had been different. He hoped for Audrey to find a solution, and fast. _

_Duke heard the cry of a baby and looked up toward the upstairs window. He saw Audrey's face as she pulled the curtain back, but she didn't meet his eye. She looked somberly at the patch of yard beside him. _

_He turned his gaze downward to the hand he still held. A feeling of dread washed over him as he realized the hand was now much too small to belong to Nathan. His eyes traveled from the hand to the small frame of a young boy. The boy was still, too still, and a slight breeze ruffled his curly dark hair. His soft brown eyes were frozen in an unseeing stare._

_end flashback/dream_

Duke was sick of the nightmares. Variations of the one from the night before were becoming increasingly frequent but there were plenty of others as well. Most starred at least one Trouble, though some also included one of his business acquaintances. Sometimes it was the boy who died, but only sometimes.

He had hoped the nightmares would disappear over time, and until two weeks ago he believed that they had. In the past two weeks he'd tried everything he could think of to have a dreamless night's sleep but after the previous night's dismal failure he had to admit his efforts were doing more harm than good.

Since his coffee was finished Duke decided to head back to town. All the pondering in the world was getting him nowhere and he still had a business to run. As he walked he pulled out his phone, determined to get his waitress back.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 4

"I couldn't impose," the young woman said, finally meeting Nathan's gaze before quickly looking back to her hands.

"You need a place to stay," he replied, "and I'm sorry but I do need to keep an eye on you. Besides, I can't in good conscience let you roam the streets with a head injury."

Slowly, she nodded her consent. She had to admit that a couch to sleep on and a real roof over her had sounded appealing after the past couple of weeks.

"There is one condition," Nathan told her as he finally put the truck into gear.

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrows at him, wondering what kind of condition he might impose. From what she'd heard around the community Nathan had a reputation as a rather stand-up, by the book kind of guy and he didn't seem the kind who would demand compensation for performing a good deed.

"If you're going to be staying at my place I really need to know your name," his voice was serious but there was a slight teasing grin that told her that he was a bit amused to have known her for several hours but not yet know her name.

"Oh," she blushed in response though in the darkness of the truck cab it was barely noticeable. "I figured you would have gotten it from the nurses at the hospital."

"Privacy laws," Nathan shrugged. A long moment passed with no response. "Well?"

"Oh, sorry," her blush deepened and Nathan's smile followed suit. "Kale. Kalen Mitchell. I prefer Kale, though.

"Nice to meet you, Kale," he said, offering her his hand. She shook it with a sheepish grin and he turned forward once more and eased the Bronco out of its parking space.

xxxx

Nathan fumbled with his keys for a moment in his efforts to unlock the front door, one of the many negative consequences to his inability to feel. Over time he'd learned to adapt in many ways. So much so that many people were unaware of his affliction, and many others failed to grasp just how serious it really was. They didn't realize the kind of planning that had to go into something like unlocking a door. First there was the finding of the key. He could put them in his pocket but he had no way of knowing if they would be in his hand when he pulled it out. He could leave them out in plain sight, which was far easier, but that wasn't always practical. Even in a small town like Haven there were thieves. Over the years he'd developed a system for making his keys easily locatable that made the situation marginally less frustrating. At home they remained on a table near the door, out in the open. At work they were most often in his top desk drawer where they would be easily accessible but out of sight. In between he did the best he could, either leaving them in the Bronco, carrying them in his hand, or (and only if absolutely necessary) he utilized a pocket. Preferably the pocket of a jacket if available since he wouldn't have to worry about indecent exposure if he wound up having to remove the article of clothing containing the pocket in order to shake it out and retrieve the key. And then there was the matter of actually unlocking the door.

Once he finally succeeded in getting the door unlocked he pushed the door open and gestured for Kale to enter. She stepped inside and he followed close behind, turning on the light as he went. Light switches were relatively easy; he just had to know where the switch was located or have a clear visual. He suspected that he often hit the switch with a little (or possibly a lot) more force than necessary since it was difficult for him to tell exactly how much force he was exerting, but it got the job done.

"Bedroom's down the hall to the right," he said. "You'll be in there, I'll take the couch. I just need to grab a couple things. Do you need anything to sleep in?"

Kale shook her head at him. "No, I'll take the couch. I can't take your bed from you. And I'm fine sleeping in my clothes." "_Well, the clothes I'm wearing," _she amended internally. They weren't actually hers, after all. Unless you subscribed to that old possession is 9/10 of the law belief. She suspected that Nathan didn't.

"I'll be comfortable anywhere. Besides, it's my fault the guest room is uninhabitable right now," with that Nathan strode down the hall to his bedroom to retrieve some clothes and toiletries. He threw a t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants on the bed in case Kale changed her mind. They'd be big on her slight frame but she seemed the type who'd be happy to make do with whatever was available. While he was at it he grabbed a spare toothbrush and some toothpaste and set it by his bathroom sink.

Nathan stopped to drop off his toiletries in the extra bathroom and then returned to the living room to find Kale still standing where he'd left her. "All yours," he told her, "towels and stuff are in the cabinet in the bathroom. If you need anything just let me know."

She nodded tiredly and started toward the hallway. She paused for a moment and her eyes rose to meet his. "Thank you," the words lacked emotion, her voice nearly flat, but the gratitude was shining in her eyes. Nathan gave her a small smile and a nod in return and watched as she turned back toward the hallway and made her way to his bedroom.

xxxx

Nathan awoke the next morning to a quiet house and assumed his guest was still sleeping. He had become a light sleeper since losing the ability to feel and if she had been up and about he knew he would have been roused.

He went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and figure out something for breakfast. He had no idea what Kale liked to eat but assumed that if she was in town without a place to stay she more than likely hadn't had a decent meal for awhile. He stared into his refrigerator with a frown, determined to feed her something nutritious and preferably something she would like.

"How do you feel about fruit salad?" he asked, still staring into the refrigerator when she entered the room a moment later.

"Is that a trick question?" she replied with raised eyebrows.

"No. Fruit salad is serious business," he said, meeting her with a solemn expression.

"Oh. Well, in that case I guess it depends on the fruit salad," an amused grin appeared on her face.

"Fair point," he gazed back into the refrigerator.

"You don't have to feed me, you know," she told him. "I appreciate everything you've done, but—"

Nathan cut her off, "You need to eat. So do I. We're here, there's food, we're eating."

"Oookay then."

"How do you feel about pancakes?" he asked, eyeing a cabinet speculatively.

"Depends on the syrup."

"I have excellent syrup."

"Then pancakes sound lovely," she smiled cheekily at him.

His eyes narrowed. "Pancakes are always lovely."

Kale snorted in reply. She leaned against the door jamb, still dressed in the dark grey t-shirt and pajama pants Nathan had set out for her the previous night. She watched as he started his breakfast preparations, first removing some pancake mix from the cabinet and then retrieving the necessary supplies from the refrigerator. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked. She felt rather awkward just watching him do all the work.

"Nope," he replied, "you're my guest, remember? You can have a seat if you want, it'd probably be more comfortable." Really he couldn't be too sure. He'd acquired those particular chairs after he lost the ability to feel so it was quite possible that the door jamb was the better choice.

"Are you sure? I feel kind of useless just standing here."

"So take me up on my seat offer." Nathan was content to handle the cooking and it would be easier for one person to handle it anyway. He caught the look on her face, though, and knew that she genuinely wanted to help. Many times in his own life he'd found himself feeling worthless as he relied on someone else to help him. He knew from past experience that having something to do, even a small task, could go a long way toward keeping one's spirit intact. "Tell you what," he offered, "If you really want to do something you can get me a cup of coffee. Cups are in the cabinet above the coffeemaker. Sugar and creamer are right over there," he gestured. "Help yourself to some while you're at it."

"Thanks," Kale smiled softly. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Just a little sugar and some creamer. The vanilla chai spice please."

She paused on her way to the coffeemaker and eyed him for a moment. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a vanilla chai spice kind of guy."

Nathan shrugged. "I like to try new flavors. Something different."

Kale opened the cabinet and retrieved a couple of coffee mugs. She put a little sugar in each and some creamer in Nathan's, then retrieved the milk from refrigerator for her own. She placed his mug on the counter and sat with hers at the small kitchen table. She sipped leisurely as she watched Nathan make pancakes.

A short while later he was seated across from her at the table. A plate of pancakes was in front of each of them and a bottle of maple syrup sat between them. Nathan's fork hovered over his food for a moment and then he sat it down abruptly and scooted his chair back. Kale, who was already chewing her first bite, watched with raised eyebrows as he opened the refrigerator and produced a bowl of fruit salad. He paused to grab a spoon and returned to the table.

"Almost forgot."

"Fruit salad is serious business," she responded sagely.

Nathan nodded gravely in reply. They both returned to their pancakes. Kale paused long enough to add a couple of spoonfuls of the mixed fruit to the top of her stack. Nathan just sighed and shook his head. "And I thought you got it."

"You ever tried it?" she challenged.

He paused for a moment and cocked his head to one side while eyeing the bowl of fruit. Curiosity won out and he spooned some of the fruit on top of his pancakes and syrup as well. He took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, considering the flavors. After a brief pause he nodded in approval.

They finished breakfast in companionable silence, and afterward Kale insisted on helping with the cleanup despite Nathan's protests. They parted ways to change clothes and met back in the living room.

"I guess it's time to head to the station then?" she asked lightly.

Nathan nodded, his expression somber. They'd carefully avoided discussion about last night, and the bizarre events leading up to last night, throughout breakfast with the exception of Nathan asking how she was feeling. He assumed the woman was Troubled and was hopeful that once he learned a bit more about her he'd be able to help.

xxxx

They arrived at the station without incident, although one of the newer officers who happened to be exiting the building did glance at them curiously as Kale exited the Bronco. He held the door as the two approached, ostensibly out of respect for his acting boss but Nathan suspected the young man just wanted a closer look at the young woman who showed up first thing in the morning with Haven's interim Chief of Police. He was undoubtedly already debating which of the more senior officers to share this bit of gossip with first. Nathan allowed Kale to enter first as he took the door from the other man, shooting him a hard look in the process. The younger officer swallowed nervously.

"Good morning, Chief."

"Morning."

Once in the building Nathan took the lead and headed toward the Chief's office. In his mind his father was still the Chief, and he couldn't quite bring himself to think of it as his office. He was finally remembering to respond when someone said, "Hey Chief!" so he supposed that was progress, but he still didn't feel like the title truly belonged to him.

He was later arriving than usual and was surprised to discover that Audrey hadn't yet made an appearance. She was typically early to work, and given the events of the night before he expected to be the late one.

They arrived at the Chief's office and Nathan opened the door for Kale. He shut the door behind them after issuing a blanket instruction to the room to send Audrey in when she arrived. Nathan took his seat behind the desk and Kale sat down in one of the other chairs. They sat in silence for a minute.

"So…" Kale said. Her right hand raised to tuck a strand of brunette hair behind her ear and she crossed her arms loosely in front of her body as she leaned back in the chair.

"So," Nathan replied. "I was kind of expecting Detective Parker to be here already. She should really be here before we go over everything." He eyed the clock and frowned, then reached for the phone on his desk.

He had just picked up the handset to dial when there was a knock at the door. He let the handset drop back onto its cradle. "Come in!"

Audrey strode into the office. "Hey, sorry I'm late, I heard you were looking for-" she cut off at the sight of Kale. "Oh." She hadn't expected the source of yesterday's frustrations to be seated in front of Nathan's desk and totally lost her train of thought.

Nathan smiled at her confusion and gestured at Kale. "Detective Audrey Parker, meet Kalen Mitchell."

"Hi," Audrey reached out to shake the other woman's hand. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting to see you here this morning. Well, not in person anyway."

"Nice to meet you, Detective," Kale grinned impishly. She had a mischievous streak and admittedly enjoyed catching people off guard.

"I was just about to ask Kale a few questions about the recent events," Nathan said as Audrey moved to lean against the wall behind him. As she moved he caught a whiff of her fragrance…lilac and honey as usual, but today there were traces of a more masculine body wash as well. Nathan knew the scent. It was one he'd come to associate with Chris Brody. His eyes drifted in her direction and he scowled.

Audrey was still positioning herself and failed to catch the fleeting look but from her vantage point Kale couldn't miss it. She thought briefly that he was irritated at the detective for being late. It seemed unlikely given that they'd just arrived as well, though she supposed that was really no fault of Nathan's. Still, she'd seen the genuine smile he gave Audrey when she walked in; that wasn't the kind of smile you give someone when you're angry. She wondered what would cause Nathan to beam at her one moment and glare the next.

The look was gone in an instant and replaced with a more business-like expression. "Well, I guess we should get started then," he said, pulling a folder out of a desk drawer. He removed the familiar sketch from the front of the folder and set it on top of the desk, spinning it around so she could see it.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 5

"I assume this is you?" Nathan asked the young woman before him.

Kale eyed the sketch briefly and nodded. "I would assume so," she replied, "unless I've got a doppelganger in town."

"The people who gave us your description…they all said that you materialized on the road in front of them with no warning," Audrey stated in a measured tone.

The other woman shrugged. "I assume that's true as well. I've never seen myself materialize so I really can't say one way or the other if there's any kind of warning."

"There's not," Nathan responded tersely, causing Audrey to shoot him a questioning look which he missed since she was still standing behind him. Kale grimaced slightly at his statement.

"Anyway…we need to figure out why this is happening, and if possible stop it from happening again," Audrey redirected her attention to Kale. She watched as the young woman fidgeted nervously with the hem of her shirt and chewed her bottom lip.

"I think I can help you out with the why part," Kale responded, "but the stopping it part might be a little more difficult.

"Why don't you tell us what you know, starting from the beginning?" Nathan suggested.

"Okay. It's not much. Well, not really anyway. I mean, I think I've figured out what's triggering it now, but I still have no idea why it's happening or what started it in the first place…" Kale trailed off at the sight of Nathan's bemused expression.

"Sorry…rambling…Anyway, it started about two weeks ago. I went to bed early that night. I was in my own bed, in my own bedroom in Portland. When I woke up I was still in my pajamas but I was lying in the middle of a road. It was raining a little and there were headlights coming at me and tires squealing. I panicked so I got up and ran. It was in the middle of town so I just ducked into an alley. The driver didn't really try to follow me."

"When you say the middle of town, do you mean Portland?" Audrey asked.

"No, Haven," Kale clarified. "I didn't realize at first. It was dark and waking up in the middle of the street can be kind of disorienting. I was pretty freaked out so I just kept walking. When I finally calmed down enough to read the street signs and business names I figured out that I was back in Haven."

"So you've been here before?"

"I'm from Haven," Kale replied softly. Sadness flickered across her face momentarily.

Nathan noted the change in her expression and determined to follow up on it later. It seemed rather unfeeling to pry into her past any more than necessary during the questioning. "What happened next?" he prodded gently.

"Once I realized that I was in Haven I got my bearings pretty quickly. It's been awhile since I was last in town but not that much has changed. I found a road that leads out of town and kept walking. Just as I was almost outside of Haven the scenery changed and I was in the middle of another street. Thankfully one without any traffic. The past couple of weeks has been more of the same…I've been trying all different routes to leave but every time I'm almost out I find myself in the middle of some random road."

"So after your initial appearance it's only happened when you try to leave Haven?" Nathan asked.

"Yep, at least so far."

"Have you tried, well, not trying to leave?" Audrey offered what seemed the simplest solution to the woman's Trouble.

"I did for a couple of days just to see if it would happen regardless. It didn't."

"So it's admittedly a strange problem but at least it sounds like there's a relatively simple fix," Audrey said. "You just have to stay in Haven. Do you have family in town?"

"I'm _not_ staying in Haven," irritation crept into the other woman's voice. "I need to get home." _"Out of Haven,"_ she added silently.

"Unfortunately it doesn't look like you've been given much of a choice," Nathan responded. He could sympathize. At one time he couldn't wait to leave Haven and had hoped not to return. But if the mysterious forces of the universe had decided that Kale belonged in Haven there was little anyone could do about it.

"So do you have family in town? Or friends? Someone you could stay with?" Audrey pressed.

Kale thought for a moment before replying. "Not really," she admitted.

"Where have you been staying for the past two weeks?"

"Here and there," she replied evasively.

Audrey eyed the young woman. She looked tired and more than a bit banged up. Audrey found herself hoping that the girl had been sleeping on the streets or abandoned property somewhere and that the bruises weren't the result of finding herself in a far worse situation. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" Audrey asked softly, nodding toward one contusion which was prominent on her forearm. A deer in the headlights look appeared on the other woman's face and her panicked eyes flashed to Nathan for a moment before returning to Audrey who took the look as a sign that the girl wasn't comfortable talking about it in front of Nathan. "Hey Nathan, why don't you grab Kale some coffee?" she hinted for him to leave, figuring that getting Kale alone would increase the likelihood of the woman opening up.

Kale knew what the detective must be thinking. She hated to let someone worry about her needlessly but at the same time she wanted to protect Nathan. Even though the accident had been no fault of his she knew enough about the inner workings of Haven to know that he could find himself in some serious trouble if people found out. The Troubles were most often discussed behind closed doors, so she suspected the majority of the town would wind up believing that the acting Chief had simply struck a pedestrian in the roadway late at night after leaving a bar. His career would be over and Haven would suffer for it. She had no way of knowing if Detective Parker would hold the details in confidence or if revealing the full story to the other woman would result in a nasty headline in tomorrow's Herald.

Nathan met Kale's eye and saw the continued hesitation. He knew why Audrey was trying to get rid of him but he also knew the true story behind the bruises and was surprised at the look of panic that crossed Kale's face. So far she had proven a trusting and open individual and he would've bet that she would have answered without skipping a beat. Instead she sat frozen. The silence around them deepened as Kale and Nathan searched each other's faces, each looking for clues as to how the other wanted the question answered. He knew that Audrey could be trusted, and he wasn't one to put self-preservation before honesty, but he was curious as to why Kale would want to protect him. _"Assuming that's even her motivation."_

Audrey watched the silent exchange play out across Kale's face. She had expected Nathan to follow her suggestion right away. Since she had first arrived in Haven the two had instinctively followed each other's cues, and this one was none too subtle. He had to know that she wanted a few minutes alone with the younger woman, and she thought it was fairly obvious why. _"So why isn't he moving?"_ she wondered. The silence stretched out awkwardly and none of the three moved.

It was Kale who spoke first. "No, thank-you."

But Nathan was only a split second behind so that their words jumbled together. "She was hit by a truck last night." His voice was quiet, flat.

Audrey's eyes bounced back and forth between the other two. It took a moment for her mind to separate their words and make sense of them. "Wait, a truck? Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" the alarm was evident in her voice.

"I got checked out last night," Kale scowled. Nathan couldn't stop a small smirk from spreading across his face in response. "Nothing too serious, a minor concussion and some bruises so they let me go."

"But didn't you say you weren't staying with anyone? Where did you go?" Audrey's concern continued to grow. She couldn't believe the small town hospital would just release someone with a head injury. Typically nurses would ask questions about where a person was staying and the hospital would make sure that a patient had someone to drive them home prior to their release. Any red flags would mean overnight observation at the least for liability reasons. _"Besides which if the woman was hit by a truck the police should have been called…" _ Audrey eyed the back of Nathan's head suspiciously.

Kale caught the look and winced.

"She crashed at my place last night," Nathan answered for her.

"Oh."

After another long and awkward pause Nathan asked, "So why can't you stay in Haven? Work? Family?" in the hopes of getting the conversation back on track.

Kale took a deep breath. "It's kind of complicated. It's not really a work or family issue. I just…can't."

"I see," said Nathan, though really he didn't. "Well, I think we can all agree that it would be in everyone's best interests if you quit trying to leave for the time being."

"I can't do that," tears came unbidden to her eyes.

The sudden display of emotion caught Nathan off guard. "Look, I know it must be tough and I can't imagine what you must be going through right now, but it's just not worth the risks. Next time you could get killed, or someone else could be hurt."

Kale closed her eyes to stem the flow of tears that threatened to spill. She rested her left elbow on the armrest of the chair and leaned over to rest her forehead on her hand in a mostly futile effort to hide from the officers. Her voice was shaky with emotion as she said, "I know. I just keep thinking, what if I just need to find the right route out and I can leave? What if I stop now and the next path would've let me go home? I've been trying to make most of my attempts later at night to avoid traffic, but you're right someone else could get hurt. I mean, it's one thing if I get myself killed, it's my choice to keep trying, but…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought out loud. _"But last night it could have been Nathan."_

"It is _not _okay for you to get yourself killed," Nathan's eyes narrowed. He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "And even if you were to keep trying I think you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might not find a way out. You probably ought to start making plans to stay."

She nodded slowly in reply looking somewhat defeated. She took a deep breath and asked, "I don't suppose I could borrow a phone? If I'm going to be sticking around for awhile it would probably be helpful to have my ID and stuff."

"Of course. Is there someone who can bring your things here? Or I can go pick stuff up for you if you need."

"My roommate should be able to bring some stuff up. Or at least mail the absolute necessities."

"What are you going to tell her? This sort of thing…well, it's kind of hard to explain, and sometimes it's best…" Nathan trailed off, unsure of how to finish his statement. He didn't want to ask the woman to lie, but it was better for everyone concerned if the outside world remained unaware of the Troubles. The fewer people that had to be involved the better.

"He's from Haven as well," she replied with a slight grin replacing the look of despair. "He'll understand."

"Oh. Well, okay then," he shrugged. "You're welcome to crash at my place until you've got everything sorted out." He knew even as he said the words that it was probably a bad move, but after the events of the previous night he felt responsible for her. She would need help and a place to stay at least until she had access to her ID and accounts, possibly longer. Besides, the scent of Brody's body wash still lingered in the air and chaffed his nerves. He found himself wanting to rebel in some way and even though there seemed to be no logical connection he felt an odd sense of satisfaction in doing something unexpected.

Audrey had been watching the exchange in silence since the revelation that the young woman had spent the night with Nathan. She couldn't imagine that anything had happened given Nathan's inability to feel and the fact that the woman had been hit by a truck. She figured that Nathan had been contacted when the woman was brought into the hospital and felt like it was his gentlemanly duty to offer her shelter. Still, she was left feeling unsettled. _"Nathan should've called me. It doesn't look right for the Chief of Police to have sleepovers with female victims."_

"Nathan, could I have a word with you?" Audrey interrupted before Kale had a chance to respond.

Nathan turned sideways so he could see Audrey in his peripheral vision. "Can it wait?" his voice had a slight, unintended edge and he instantly regretted the tone.

"No, it can't." If his voice had an edge, hers was a razor blade.

Kale watched the officers glare at each other. "Why don't I just go for a walk? Just around the block or something," she added quickly when matching looks of alarm appeared on both faces before her.

"That's…" Nathan started.

"A great idea," Audrey interrupted.

"…not necessary," he finished, the scowl in his face deepening.

"Okay then. I'll be back in a bit." And with that she hastily retreated.

Audrey moved to take the chair Kale had occupied a moment before and studied Nathan, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"Do you _really _think it's a good idea to let her just walk out of here alone?"

"Do _you _really think it's a good idea to invite her to move in?" she spat back.

"She needs a place to stay. Where's she supposed to go? Any job she might've had she just lost and for the time being she has no access to any of her belongings. No ID, no debit card, no clothing, _nothing._ She doesn't have any family or friends in the area to help out."

"Nathan, you're the Chief of Police now. You have to know that moving some random victim in with you is a bad idea. You _know _how much people in this town gossip."

"I don't give a damn about gossip. And it's not like we're going to spread the word that she's Troubled. People can think whatever they want," he responded defiantly.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Huh?"

"When the hospital contacted you?"

"The hospital didn't contact me."

"Then how did she wind up with you? The hospital had to have called; she was hit by a truck!"

"I brought her in so they kind of assumed the reporting thing was taken care of," he gestured dismissively.

"Wait…she was already with you?" Audrey hadn't considered that possibility and was a bit unsettled by the implication.

He stared at her levelly. "It was my truck."

Surprise registered on her face and she blinked at him for a minute in confusion. "You _hit _someone with your _truck?_" her voice sounded shrill in the small office space. Oddly, though, she felt more relaxed than she had a moment before. _"I'm seriously less bothered by the idea of Nathan hitting someone with his truck than by the idea…" _she pushed the thought aside, unwilling to finish it even within the confines of her own mind.

"Yup." A standard, monosyllabic reply.

"Huh." Audrey sat back, speechless for a moment. "You still should've called. I'm investigating this case too, remember? And she could've crashed with me. It would look better…"

"It was late. You were busy anyway."

She blushed slightly. "I wasn't busy."

"Right. You just thought Old Spice would help you assimilate better into New England society?"

Audrey's blush deepened. "Shut up. Besides, work comes first, you know that."

"Mhmm."

"So anyway, when she gets back I'll offer to let her stay with me."

"It makes more sense for her to stay at my place. I've got the extra room."

"Isn't your spare room still full of your Dad's stuff?"

"It'll give me an excuse to go through everything."

Audrey sighed at him. "I still think you're making a mistake," she told him.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Author's note: I am so sorry for the delay in updating! I still want to finish this story but life is getting in the way. I can't promise that there won't be any more delays but I will try to update faster next time!

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 6

"Hello?" a muffled voice yawned into the phone.

"Andrea, hey, it's Duke." He spoke slowly, soothingly, hoping to offset the memory of his abrasiveness the previous night.

"Mr. Crocker, good morning!" The words came out in a rush and the forced cheer stood out in stark contrast to the muted tone of her initial greeting.

Duke could hear the nervous energy permeating the young woman's voice. He winced slightly at the sound. His left hand unconsciously made its way to the back of his neck and rested there as his face tilted toward the ground.

"Do you have a minute? I wanted to talk to you about last night."

"Okay," she replied hesitantly.

"First of all I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did."

"It's okay…"

"No it's not," he interrupted. "Look, I know it's a tough job. I wasn't being fair to you and I shouldn't have started you at the busiest time of the week. That was my fault, not yours, and I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." He paused and inhaled deeply before continuing. "I asked you to leave last night because I realized I screwed up by starting you on a weekend. I was hoping you'd be willing to come back Monday around the lunch shift so you can ease into things?" His voice was hopeful, almost pleading, and he shook his head at the ground, annoyed with his own tone. _"When did I become so needy?" _he wondered.

"Of course!" The relief was evident in her voice as she eagerly accepted his offer.

"Great. See you then!" he returned, ending the call before she could reconsider. He paused to check the time then slipped the phone back into his pocket.

The conversation with Andrea had gone better than Duke had expected. He took it as a sign that the coffee had indeed restored him to the point that he was at least a semblance of his usual charming self. Her agreement to return around lunch on Monday saved him from a day of sorting through applications and freed up some time for other endeavors, although in his current condition he didn't think all the time in the world would result in any productivity.

He had originally planned to spend most of the day at the Grey Gull taking care of some maintenance work and going over inventory but the more he thought about it the less he wanted to actually do it. There was sufficient staffing for the place to run without him for the day and given his recent attitude he assumed his employees and customers would probably be just as happy without him there.

With a sigh he started the trek back toward his boat.

xxxx

Duke gave a sideways glance to his favorite chair as he clambered onto the deck a short while later. After a moment of contemplation he decided he wasn't in the mood and opted for the comfort of his cabin instead. He made his way to his bed and allowed himself to fall face first onto the inviting surface, still fully clothed. He paused briefly before rolling to his back with a groan. His right knee rose slowly to his chest and his hands reached down to unlace his boot which he then heaved lazily toward the wall. His left boot soon followed suit. He scooted back so his head was resting on his pillow and allowed his eyes to drift shut.

xxxx

_The sun shone brightly into a fenced in yard of freshly mowed grass. Within the yard a little blonde-haired girl chased a yellow butterfly. Her laughter sounded musical in the crisp morning air. _

_The butterfly paused to alight on a small purple flower which had somehow survived the mowing. The little girl approached slowly and sat down to watch. She drew her knees up and crossed her ankles. Her elbows rested on her knees and her chin in the palms of her hands._

_Without warning, the scene changed. The little girl and the yard were still there, but the butterfly had gone and the purple flower wilted before her eyes. Dark clouds blanketed the sky causing the bright, white fence to appear a more muted grey. A shadowy figure appeared at the gate, watching the girl and the flower. When the flower had crumbled into dust the man raised his arm. The sheen of his gun stood out in stark contrast to the muted scene around them._

xxxx

Duke awoke from his dream with a start, a cold sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead. He gasped for breath and clenched his eyes shut while waiting for his heart rate to return to normal. He lurched to his feet with a shudder.

After pacing around the cabin for awhile he decided that it might be best to get some work done after all. He certainly wasn't going to be getting any rest, no matter how badly it was needed. He pulled his worn, brown boots back on and headed for the hardware store in town to pick up some of the supplies he'd need for his maintenance work.

xxxx

Thirty minutes later Duke could be found angrily pacing the streets of Haven. The few townsfolk who passed in close proximity gave pause and then doubled their speed in the opposite direction when they got close enough to hear the string of obscenities he muttered under his breath.

"_Only in Haven," _he fumed internally, _"Would you find a shortage of light bulbs. Light bulbs!"_

In fact he'd been completely unsuccessful in his attempts to procure supplies for the Grey Gull during his morning foray. To be fair he might have been able to pick up at least some of the items he needed, but after a search for the first three items on his list turned up empty he found his patience waning and opted instead to spend the remainder of his morning sharing his woes with the other Haven pedestrians.

"Hope you don't need any mother-fucking caulk!" he yelled at an elderly gentleman who was entering the store across the street. If the man heard, he gave no indication. The young woman unlatching her baby's car seat from a beat-up Ford Taurus evidently did, however, judging by the way she hurriedly climbed back into the driver's seat and threw her car into reverse.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm going to have to ask you to calm down," a firm, masculine voice requested from behind him, "No need to make a scene."

Duke turned to glare at the person behind the voice only to find himself face to face with one of the town's newer police officers. He wasn't sure of the officer's name; his most recent visits to the police department having been of his own volition and as kept as brief as possible.

Years of experience told Duke to nod politely to the officer and move on. Years of dealing with Nathan told Duke that even something as minor as a disturbance of the peace violation could result in a major pain in his ass if he were to find himself face to face with Haven's interim chief when brought into the station. Two solid weeks of sleep deprivation, however, spoke more forcefully to Duke at that moment and before he could regain control of his temper he lashed out.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?" he challenged.

A few minutes and a slew of increasingly creative obscenities later Duke found himself in the back of a squad car bound for the Haven Police Station.

"_I just had to ask, didn't I?"_

xxxx

Officer Townsend pulled smoothly into a parking space at the front of the police station and exited the patrol car. He was about to open the rear door so he could escort his unruly guest into the station when he saw Officer Garrison exiting the station. A combination of curiosity over the Chief's morning visitor and aggravation at the man occupying his backseat led him to instead step towards the front of his vehicle and wave the older officer over. _"A few more minutes to cool down won't hurt him anyway."_

"How's it going, Charlie?" he asked.

"Same old, same old," Garrison replied. He nodded towards Townsend's backseat; "What'd Crocker do this time?"

"He been in here before?"

"Oh yeah. Duke Crocker goes way back with the Haven PD. Especially got a long history with Nathan."

"Speaking of a history with the Chief…"

xxxx

With every moment that passed Duke became increasingly frustrated. He tried waving to get the officers' attention but they were either caught up in a highly fascinating conversation (unlikely, in his opinion) or purposely ignoring him (very likely). Duke didn't like to be ignored.

"Come on guys!" he yelled toward the window while shooting a death-glare at the officers from the backseat of the patrol car.

The two men merely glanced his way with amused smirks and resumed their conversation. Duke threw his head back into the worn headrest and shut his eyes, huffing with exasperation.

A moment later he reopened his chocolate brown eyes, intent on resuming his death-glare in the hopes that the officers would give in and let him out of the car. A brief flicker of movement further down the block caught his eye, however, and disrupted his plan.

For several seconds Duke remained frozen in position, his eyes open wide and unblinking and his lips parted. His entire body went numb and he ceased to breath. The sound of the officers' chatter, previously muted by the metal and glass of the police car, dwindled to nothingness.

After what felt like an eternity Duke started to regain control of his senses. First, the sound of his own heartbeat filled his ears. It sounded too loud, too fast, like the beating of horses' hooves during a race. Next he resumed breathing, though he found himself gasping for air like a winded runner. Finally he blinked, once and then several times, hoping to clear his vision.

It didn't help. There before him on a Haven sidewalk stood the source of his current sleep deprivation and more than a year's worth of recurring nightmares. She had paused and turned to look at something down the street, but even in profile she was unmistakable to him.

She turned, as if to resume her trek toward the station, but at that moment her eyes locked on Duke's and she wavered. She hesitated only a moment before she ran.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Haven. But a girl can dream, right?

Feedback always welcome!

Chapter 7

Time had lost all meaning. Seconds may have passed, or hours. The scenery all blended together until every building looked alike; every face was the same. A bench, a shrub, an old rusted out Ford; so much sameness. Scent eluded her altogether, and feeling as well, leaving her temporarily as numb as Nathan. The sounds were there, but her mind could make no sense of the cacophony and gave up trying to discern any meaning. It was focused elsewhere; _elsewhen._

At first she simply ran, almost as though pursued by a deadly predator. She had no destination in mind, only escape.

After a time the initial rush of adrenaline left, taking with it the remainder of her strength and leaving her weak and trembling. Her breath came in short, jagged bursts, and her heart hammered in her chest. She was so intent on fleeing that she scarcely noticed.

After an indeterminate amount of time spent stumbling the sidewalks and alleys of Haven her body finally decided that it'd had enough. The past couple of weeks had been rough on her both physically and emotionally and seeing _him_ was too much for her already overwhelmed mind to process.

She collapsed slowly, first sinking to her knees and then falling limply backwards into the side of a building. Her head scraped along the brick as she went and a fresh trickle of blood seeped downwards, staining her borrowed garments.

She sat there for a long moment. Then came the tears. At first they fell slowly. Large, wet tears which made their way down her cheeks and along her jaw line before splashing unnoticed on the hard, dusty ground beneath her. Soon, though, they came more rapidly until finally she broke down into gasping, shuddering sobs.

She had known, of course, that this could happen. In fact, she had been nearly certain that it _would _happen unless she found the means to escape Haven. After all, _he _had told her himself that she'd find him here. Still, when she had awoken in Nathan's bed that morning she'd nearly convinced herself that everything would be okay. _She_ would be okay.

"_I must be delusional."_

xxxx

"Well, that was odd," remarked Audrey while staring quizzically towards the space that Duke Crocker had just vacated.

"How so?" Nathan asked, "You've seen Duke's arrest record. This can't exactly be a shock. It's actually one of the tamer things he's done."

"Exactly!" she replied emphatically, turning back to face Nathan. "Why would he be standing on a street corner screaming about caulk? And when have you ever known Duke to be _quiet_? He was almost completely silent when he was here! There was also that thing with the waitress last night…" her expression turned thoughtful as she trailed off. "He just seems really…angry…lately. And distant." Audrey paused to ponder her friend's bizarre mood swings.

"Smuggling deal gone wrong?"

Audrey glared in response. "Why do you always have to think the worst of him? Has it ever occurred to you that maybe there's something else going on? Have you ever thought to ask?"

"Nope."

"Nathan!" she scolded.

"Duke and I aren't exactly the best of friends," he replied, "You know this. I know you like the guy, though I can't for the life of me figure out why. I can tolerate his presence if I have to, but don't expect anything more. It won't happen."

"Because of some crap he pulled in elementary school? You need to move past all that. Kids make stupid mistakes all the time, Nathan. He's a grown man, and I think he genuinely cares about you and about this town. I don't understand why you can't give him a second chance!"

"Because he's Duke. And because he's out of second chances with me," Nathan's eyes turned to steel as he locked gazes with Audrey. He made sure that she looked away first.

Audrey sighed as she slid from her perch on the corner of Nathan's desk and slumped into one of the seats in front. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes in exasperation. _"One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten…" _She straightened her posture and reopened her eyes to see Nathan staring at his clock with a furrowed brow.

"What time did Kale leave?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"I'm not sure. It's been awhile," she replied, her previous irritation with Nathan replaced with concern for the town's newest Troubled victim and anyone who might be unfortunate enough to cross her path should her Trouble kick in.

"A long enough while to make it around the block?"

"More than," Audrey rose smoothly to her feet while Nathan simultaneously stood and reached for his jacket.

xxxx

Kale hurriedly pushed open the door at the police station. She wasn't sure exactly how long she'd been gone but figured that by now Nathan and Audrey would have assumed the worst and would undoubtedly be working on blockading all paths out of Haven. She was more than a bit startled when she ran smack into Nathan who was evidently in the process of rushing _out _of the station.

She gasped and jerked back on contact, smacking her head into the dull wooden edge of the door in the process and reopening her newest wound. She winced as she felt the fresh trickle of blood escape. So much for the hasty clean-up job she'd done at the gas station on her way back.

"Jesus, are you okay?" Nathan queried as his initial shock at running into the person he'd been about to start a manhunt for gave way to concern. He reached out to steady her and his hand moved reflexively to investigate her wound.

Kale tilted her head slightly and leaned into Nathan to allow him easier access to examine her scrape. "It's no big deal," she said, "I think it just reopened one of my recent cuts." She felt a twinge of guilt knowing that Nathan would probably assume that she was referring to one of her injuries from the previous night and feel responsible. _"I'm sorry, Nathan, but I just can't talk about it."_

Nathan closed his eyes briefly and clenched his jaw. _"Wow, Wournos. First you run her over with your truck, now you shove her into a door. Maybe later you should take her out to the shooting range and use her for some target practice!" _

When he reopened his eyes he realized that she'd shifted slightly and her left hand now rested on his chest. Slowly, their eyes locked. "Seriously, Nathan," she said softly. "I'm fine."

He blinked in reply.

"Ahem," Audrey coughed from behind Nathan.

Kale, startled once more, stepped hurriedly back from Nathan. She knew what the scene must look like to the other woman. Unfortunately, at that precise moment an officer pushed the door open to enter the building so as Kale moved backwards she again smacked her head on the door. She blushed furiously and lifted a hand to temporarily shield her face.

Nathan glowered at Audrey, who was unable to stop a slight smirk. She felt an odd sense of satisfaction at the young woman's lack of grace.

xxxx

After a brief debate Kale was given a first aid kit and allowed some privacy in the restroom to clean up and treat her injury. Nathan had volunteered Audrey to assist and Audrey had readily agreed. She was hesitant to let the other woman out of her sight given the earlier disappearance scare. Kale had steadfastly refused the help, however, and insisted that she could handle it herself. Nathan accepted her excuse, that she wanted a few minutes to herself to regain her dignity, with a slightly bemused grin and simply waved her on without further argument. Audrey frowned at the back of his head in response but decided that she'd had enough arguing with Nathan for the morning and let it go.

Kale washed the blood from her hair and neck as best she could and applied some disinfectant to the scrape, wincing and the sharp sting. The scrape was in awkward place, slightly behind her left ear and down towards the base of her skull. In truth, the process would have gone much more smoothly with an extra set of eyes and hands, but she couldn't bring herself to feel quite comfortable around Audrey and it didn't make sense to ask Nathan for help given his inherent numbness and Audrey's volunteering. She had the feeling that there was already plenty of gossip circulating and didn't want to add fuel to the fire.

Once she'd cleaned up she returned to Nathan's office to find Nathan and Audrey waiting for her. As Kale seated herself in the same chair she'd occupied earlier that morning Audrey stood and eased the door shut. She then moved to perch once more on the corner of Nathan's desk and looked to Nathan.

Nathan took the look as his cue to begin. "So…where ya been?" he inquired while locking eyes with Kale.

"I'm sorry, I just went for a walk and lost track of time," Kale replied, trying to sound convincing though she suspected she was failing miserably. She was looking at Nathan but was unable to miss the roll of Audrey's eyes when Nathan made his query.

"I thought you were just going around the block?" Audrey asked. Her voice was deceptively calm and even. It was a voice that said, _"I know you're hiding something."_

Kale swallowed. "I was, but once I started walking I just kind of kept going. Things have been kind of crazy for the past couple of weeks and it helps me think." _"There, that sounded convincing enough. It was even kind of true."_

Audrey looked unconvinced but Nathan at least appeared to take her for her word.

Kale tried to look as earnest as possible and forced herself to meet the female detective's eyes as she blatantly sized her up, clearly trying to determine if the other woman was hiding anything. After a long and somewhat awkward pause Audrey decided that the intense scrutiny wasn't getting her anywhere.

"Alright. Try not to wander off unexpected again, okay? I'm sure you can understand our concern."

"Of course," Kale replied, trying to sound contrite. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry anyone." Though the apology was directed toward Audrey, Kale had broken eye contact with her as soon as it became evident that Audrey wasn't going to push the issue any further. Instead she found her eyes drawn to Nathan's stormy blue ones. Even though Audrey appeared to be leading this lecture it was Nathan's approval that she wanted.

"It's okay," he responded compassionately. "You're understandably overwhelmed by everything that's happened. I know this isn't easy for you but I promise we will do everything we can to help you adjust." Nathan shot a look at Audrey before continuing, "Now, I believe you had a friend to call?" With that he stood and walked around the desk before handing her his cell phone. "We'll wait in the hall so you can have some privacy."

Nathan turned to open the door and looked pointedly at Audrey. She blinked at him for a long moment before rising to exit. She paused to look questioningly up at Nathan and then continued into the hallway where she waited while he pulled the door closed behind him.

"What?" he asked innocently.

xxxx

Inside the office Kale took a deep breath in a mostly unsuccessful attempt to calm her nerves. Before she could change her mind she flipped open the phone and dialed, thankful that she still memorized the important numbers the old-fashioned way.

He picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"

Kale couldn't help but cringe at the roughness of his voice. In truth she probably could have found a way to check in sooner but her mind had been so wrapped up in her Trouble and, well, her _other _trouble that she hadn't really given it any thought. The voice on the other end of the line spoke to her now, and even in that one word condemned her for her selfish pre-occupations. In that one word she heard two weeks' suffering; sleepless nights, fist fights, tequila, cigarettes, and who knows what else. All the vices that he favored as crutches during times of distress.

"Ty? It's me," she replied quietly. She waited a long moment for a response.

"Fuck."

Another pause.

"I'm okay." Her eyes slid shut and she bit her lip. Her left hand fidgeted with her hair while her right gripped Nathan's phone tightly, waiting for her words to sink in.

He let out a long, slow breath before answering, "Good."

"_He's not going to make this easy…"_ she thought as another awkward pause stretched out between them. Not knowing what else to say, she blurted out, "I'm in Haven."

Another pause.

"Fuck."

xxxx

Ten minutes later Kale exited into the hallway looking somewhat more disheveled than she had pre-call. She found Nathan leaning against the near wall and Audrey leaning against the far wall each staring determinedly and silently at a spot on the floor midway between them. She started to thank Nathan for the use of his office and phone but her mouth snapped shut at the sight of the officers in front of her and instead she found herself staring dumbly at the same spot as if it might offer up an explanation.

After a moment that rivaled her conversation with Ty for awkwardness Nathan abruptly straightened his posture and looked up.

"Did you reach your friend?" he queried, his voice carefully neutral.

"Yeah," Kale responded. "Thanks for letting me use your phone. And office."

"Any time," he replied warmly. "Is he going to be able to get your stuff to you?"

"He can't get away until at least next weekend but he said he'd overnight the essentials. I don't exactly have a mailing address here so I gave him yours. I figured you'd be keeping tabs on me anyway under the circumstances…I hope that's alright?" she blushed and stammered through her words.

"Of course. I told you, anything we can do to help. And the offer for a place to stay while you get on your feet stands," he responded, emphasizing the last part maybe a bit more than necessary as he glanced toward Audrey who had looked up during their exchange but still lounged against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.

Kale couldn't help but notice the clench in the detective's jaw when Nathan made his offer. She hated accepting any kind of charity and already felt beholden to Nathan for the help he'd given her over the last twenty-four hours, and the last thing she wanted to do was cause any kind of problem between him and his partner. She knew, though, that there was no way Nathan would agree to let her live on the streets even temporarily and if she was honest with herself she knew that she would prefer his company to whatever alternative he might offer.

"Okay."


End file.
